Information device



Sept. 2, 1941,

A. R. JOHNSON ET AL INFORMATION DEVICE Original Filed June 15, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS.

ANDREW-R. JOHNSON.

CHARLE$ E.ATSON. Q @Q fi- ATTORNFY FETZ.

Sept. 2, 1941.

A. R. JOHNSON ET AL.

INFORMATION DEVICE 2 Sheet s-Sneet 2 Original Filed June 15, 1938INVENTORS. ANDREW R. JOHNSON. BY CHARLES E. WATSON.

ATTORNE Patent No. 2,216,114, October 1, 1940.

Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UN ITE-D STATES "GFFICE v2 254371 VINFORMATIONDEYICE Andrew R. Johnson, Chicago, and Charles E.

-Watson,fILa lGrange, 111., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments,to The'Informat CompanyyCh-icago, 111., a corporation of lllinois.originalapplication June :15 1938, Serial No.

213,798. .Divided and this a pplication- October 24, 1938,.Seria1'No.236,658 2 Claims. (01.40-64) This .inventionrelates to informationdevices places and operable to supply audible talk-back .on diversemattersof interest from an. advertising and informationservicestandpoint, although the adjustable indexing cabinetstructuremay.be

employed with equal advantage for. other pur- POSSS.

.It contemplates more especially a'novel indeiring cabinet structure forconfining andcooperating with multiple records operatively connected toa talk-back selector in a self-contained unit to supply information andvarious advertising features depending upon the demands .andrequirements of commercial practice. vThisapplication is a divisionofour'co-pending application Serial Number 213,798 andiiled June 15, 1938,

It is a familiar fact that travellers and newcomers arriving inmunicipalities or ,public places frequently experience difiiculty anddelay in securing necessary and desiredinformat'ion. Often residents orpeople who are well-informed are not available or convenienttoapproachandjthe newcomer is apt to be misdirected :and sufferembarrassment or delay. Furthenwa person arriving in a strange localityat .alate hour-may find places of information; closed and neighborhoodsdeserted so that it is often very difiicult'to acquire information.Then, too, effective advertising can-be acquired by informingindividuals through a' mechanical record-reproducer unit that.is'selective, amusing in depots, public places, and prominent streetintersections for contemplated operation day andx w night. to impartspoken information and advertising concerning hotels, streets,office-buildings, and other subjects of public interest to personssoliciting such information.

cooperating with multiple records for-the purpose set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means foradjustablyindexing records. and the like in a selective multiple recordplaying or similar device.

'Still another object is to providemultiplepre .improved indexing meansfor selectiveresponse through a reproducer.

A further object of the invention. is to provide an audible mechanicalinformation device having control means cooperating with improvedindexing means for the selection of the desired message reproduction. V

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter mentioned with a cabinet having improved adjustable indexinginstrumentalities to guide the operation of the confinedinstrumentalities.

Still a further object is toprovide a multiple reproducer capable ofbeing readily varied from time to time for announcing selected messagesthrough the use. of improved. indexing device therefor.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionof an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

7 -In the drawings:

Figure l'is a perspective view of a device embodying features of thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is an enlargedfragmentary front View inelevation of thefdeviceflshown'in Figure 1,

parts thereof 'being broken away to clarify the showing.

Figure 3 is asectional view taken substantially along line III-IIIofFigure. 1.

Figure '4 is a sectional viewtaken sub alonglineIV-IV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a. perspective View of a letter block which constitutes apart of the cabinet front shown in Figure 1, parts thereof being brokenaway to .clarifythe showing. I

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along 1ine.VIVI of'Figure5.

I Figure 7 is a sectional viewtaken substantially along line VII-VIIofFigure 5.

-'Figu.re 8 is a sectional View taken sub along line 'VIII VIII ofFigure5.

'Figure9 is a sectional view taken substantially along line IXIX ofFigure15.

' Figure 1.0 is a fragmentary perspective and stantially stantiallysectional view.of a 'lette bl ck One obJect of the present invention isto pror 0 gmde Shown m 'vide an adjustable indexing cabinet front for yperspective view of .formed records in a self-.containedxdevice withgae-priseslafbaselfl" of an suitable confi ra ion and minates upwardly, inthis instance, in a series of pyramided frusto-conical terrets l4, l5and IE to define any desired ornamental and visual effect which may .bevaried within a wide range to meet the dictates of commercial practice.

As shown, the casing I3 extends downwardly in a converging apron ll thatmerges with the upper edge of the base It) to define an impressivegrooves 42 formed on both lateral or side walls thereof so as toconfront the corresponding grooves in the adjacent struts 28 to retainsuperposed indicia or letter blocks 43 therebetween. In order to removethe informational sections 23 and to enable a speedy change therein, theentire panel section 23 can be laterally removed from the casing l3 andthe top side plates 33-33 dis-engaged to permit different indicia blocks43 to be inserted or substituted.

The indicia or letter blocks 43 are slidably re- 5 ceived between theconfronting vertical grooves 42 provided in the struts 28 so as todefine any vertical word or informational indicia for use by the publicin indexing the handle member 26 of the. control 25 to conform with anyspecial series casing for instrumentalities to be hereinafter de--scribed. In this instance, the casing l3 has its front and rear walls 18and 19, respectively, provided with substantially rectangular openings20 that comprise the greater part of the w'all'surface to accommodate aninformational device capable of variation to correspond with recordsconfined within the casing I3. To this end, each of the openings 20 inthe front and rear walls l8 and 19 are provided with a plurality oftransverse bars 2l--22, in this instance constituting confronting setsof five in each opening 20, these being equi-distantly spaced to definea corresponding number of separate informational areas 23 that areindependent of each other and correspond with separate self-containedinstrumentalities numbering, in this instance, a total "of ten units onboth sides. The number of units and records therein and the capacity ofeach unit and easing l3 may be varied within a widerange and dependslargely upon the requirements as well as the size thereof.

It is to be noted that the transverse sets of bars 2 I22 are spaced topresent transverse slots or openings 24 therebetween to permit verticaldisplacement within the limits of a control handle 25 that terminatesexternally in a grip member 26. The lower edge of the'transverse platemembers 22 are provided with downwardly extending horizontally spacedteeth 27 that accommodate the handle control shank 25 therebetween so asto index such in vertical alignment with the spaces between verticallyupstanding'struts 28 that are anchored in confronting guide members 29.

'As shown, the confronting guide members 29 (Figure 3) are substantiallyU-shaped and are attached to the transverse plate members 2 l22 so as toreceive the struts 28 therein. The struts 28 have their upper reducedextremities 3!! disposed in notches 31 provided in plates 32 detachablyconnected between spaced side members 3333' by means of threaded studsor screws 34 (Figures 5 and 6). The lower strut extremities 35 aresoldered, welded or'otherwise anchored in notches 36 provided inchannelled bars 31 to define a unitary frame casing section 23 (Figure5) which may be assembled and dismantled by removal of the fastenerstuds 34; however, there is sufficient freedom of movement so 'as' toenable the entire sections 23 with their struts 28 to be slidablyremoved in a horizontal direction.

The channel 38 serves toretainthe solder or other securing material 39so as to securely hold the struts 28 in position. Side members 40 and 4|are similarly attached to the'members .3I-:-3'|

to confine the struts 23' therebetween in uniformly spaced relationtherewith. "The'fstruts 28 are provided with'longitudinally 'extending'75 of letter-blocks that will be disposed in vertical alignment betweenthe teeth 21 constitut- .1ng an indexing member for each of theinformational areas or sectors 23.

4 V V The indicia or letter blocks43 may be composed of translucentBakelite or other' plastic compositions so as to emanate lighttherethrough from a source of illumination such as an electric bulb 44mounted 25 within the casing jl3. This provides the adjust- -ableinformational-areas or sections 23 which can be readily varied toconform with the changes/made in the records that are disposed onoperating instrumentalities confined within the casing l3 to produceaudible informational projection in a manner described in our copendingpatent application serially numbered 213,798

and filed June15, 1938, Patent No. 2,216,114, October 1,1940;- It ispreferable though not essential that the sidewalls l-2(Figure l) of thecasing l3 be rendered-removable so'that each self-contained from thecasing I3.

operating unit for each informational section 23 will be readilyremovable for repair, replacement, or record changing. For that matter,each front informational section 23 may be rendered remov able'as aunit'for a "similar purpose depending 'upon the dictates of commercialpractice.v To this end, the lower channel members 31 termihate in anextension 45 which has'a perforated offset ear 46 (Figure 5) disposed inregistry with a correspondingly shaped and confronting frame bracket 4!vto receive a-fastener or bolt 48 therebetween (Figure 2) in order toretain the assembled section 23 in position against removal Variouschanges may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinspecifically -'described without'departing from the invention orsacrificing any advantages or features thereof, and nothingherein shallbe construed as limitations upon the invention, its embodiment, or

structural concept as to the whole or any part thereof, except asdefined in the appended co claims.

Weclaim:

1-. In a device-ofthe character described, the combination with acasinghaving an-opening in a wall thereof, of a plurality of -verticallydisposed bars bridging said casing opening, there beingverticalconfronting grooves" in said bars, superposed indicia, membersin saidgrboves between said'bars to serve as an enclosurefor said casingopening, indexingv meanson said casing for the sp'aces'betvveen said.bars, and means cooperating; with said indexing means and movable toaposition of alignment with each vertical series of indicia membersto.controllinstrumenjitalitiesresponding thereto. M

2. Ina device or the character described, the

indioia members disposed in superposed relation along said groovesbetween said bars to serve as an enclosure for said casing opening, andmeans for indexing an operating control rela- 5 tive to said superposedindicia blocks.

ANDREW R. JOHNSON. CHARLES E. WATSON.

